1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of amusement equipment for a flag football game. In particular, this invention relates to an improvement of the flag football game to provide a fluorescent light and sound producing football with superior throwing and catching capabilities, making the game easier and more enjoyable, and particularly to a variation in the design of the exterior surface of the football and the corresponding glove to effect the spiral motion of the football as it leaves the grip of the thrower and for easier catching. Additionally, this invention relates to a novel belt with flags for improved tagging and to an improved coupling for such a device to the player's belt. The football and the gloves have plurality of strips made of the material commonly called VELCRO and flags are totally covered with VELCRO.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
Football games utilize chasing and catching abilities and demand sophisticated strategy and developed physical and motor skills. Tackle football, due to extensive falling and rolling on the ground, demands heavy bodily contact and use of safety equipment. Flag football was developed as an alternative game, safe and exciting for people of all ages. Stopping of the football player carrying the football is accomplished by removing a flag from his body. Each player has a set of flag devices that flutter around his body to be difficult to catch and designed so that they require certain amount of pull-away force to accomplish deflagging.
In prior flag type games, a flag has typically been attached to the belt by releasable coupling parts. In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,651,989 issued to Wilson, these coupling parts were disclosed, designed as cooperative ball and socket devices, secured by suction, and made of plastic. Excessive force and skill is required to re-insert the ball in the socket in the middle of the game, causing a problem for young and handicapped players. In the excitement of the game the person wearing the belt with the flags might not notice the deflagging and continue playing, thereby delaying the game, if the coupling device is too easy to separate. In addition, belts in the prior art use buckles and have to be constructed in different sizes for smaller and adult players.
In the game of football, in order to effectively throw the football, it is necessary to release the football in such a manner to produce a spiraling motion of the football as it travels through the air, spinning around its roll axis. Conventional football lacing is often inadequate for a grip, especially for less experienced players.
In order to help performance of the children, Parker Brothers produced NERF TURBO FOOTBALL, an elastic foam football with lengthwise spiral grooves increasing in width and depth towards the middle of the football for improved handling. This elliptical football is soft, lightweight, allowing easier handling and safer football game. The ribs between the grooves stabilize football spinning and result in a better football aerodynamic performance.
VELCRO coverings on objects such as balls have been in use for decades. Children's baseballs, footballs, gloves, flying discs and catching paddles were marketed where the entire surface of the balls and many areas on the gloves were covered with VELCRO in order to improve ability to catch. In this design, however, it was impossible to throw the object with the corresponding gloves, due to the fact that the ball's entire surface was covered with VELCRO and the attachment between the glove and the ball was very tight.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,183,263 issued to Kuebler describes a foam rubber football fully covered with VELCRO, with additional thin strips of VELCRO material glued on each of the football's four seems. A cotton glove, accompanying the ball, has rubber coated palm surface with thin strips of VELCRO hook material glued on each of the fingers. The football is catched with a gloved hand but has to be thrown with an ungloved hand.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,953,030, issued to Muchnick, describes a throw and catch toy comprising a ball having VELCRO patches and a very large, inflatable glove with VELCRO patches, allowing catching and holding the ball without grasp of the fingers. It is to be used for young children or mentally retarded persons, learning to catch the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,303,247 issued to Fain, discloses a device where the ball has hook and loop fasteners, such as VELCRO, while the surface of the device for catching the ball has a series of fasteners complimentary to those on the ball.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,228,690 issued to Rudell, discloses a football with an appendage for the purpose of both a stabilizing function to improve directional throwing as well as to provide a grip surface for catching, holding while practicing kicking or for grabbing by an opponent. The VELCRO is applied on two removable sections of a ball projectile to provide separation removable attachment of those sections.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 4,801,141 issued to Rumsey, discloses a light and sound producing ball wherein an electronic circuit board controls the light and sound.